Your oral health is of crucial significance and having an acid-rich diet can put the tooth enamel at risk of acid erosion. Tooth erosion happens to be a growing oral problem and it just takes four acidic occasions throughout the day for this.
The beverages and the foods that are high in the acid wears the enamel away that protects the teeth. This is a process known as the tooth erosion. This changes the appearance of the teeth and opens the door for bacteria which can lead to infection and cavities.
Symptoms of Teeth Erosion
The tooth erosion happens to be permanent. If the enamel has started to wear off, you can experience the following.
- Discolouration of Teeth
- Sensitive or Painful Teeth felt while consuming the cold, hot or sweet drinks
- More Cavities over Time
- Chances of Fillings Getting Altered
- Lose Teeth in Extreme Cases
- Develop Abscess in Extreme Cases
You may have to opt for crowns, fillings, a root canal once a tooth starts to erode. Veneers can also be an option in order to restore your smile.
Foods and Drinks Leading to Acid Erosion
Here is a list of the various harmful foods and drinks along with their average pH level. Just take a look.
Highly Acidic Foods whose pH level is Below 4.
- Wine
- Lemon Juice
- Sports Drinks
- Soda
- Cherries
- Plums
- Oranges
- Berries
- Iced Tea
- Pickles
- Grapefruit Juice
- Apple Juice
- Vinegar
- Cranberries
- Salad Dressings
- Tomatoes
- Orange Juice
Moderately Acidic Foods and Drinks between pH levels 4-5.
- Tomato Ketchup
- Honey
- Beer
- Raisins
- Vitamin C Tablets
- Green Olives
- Figs
- Pears
- Black Tea
Low Acidic Foods and Drinks between pH levels 5-7.
- Bananas
- Natural Yoghurt
- Cheese
- Bread
- Broccoli
- Avocados
- Cucumbers
- Broccoli
- Milk
- Peanut Butter
- Water
Here are some food pairings that you can try in order to reduce your acid erosion. Just take a look.
- Take Yoghurt with Fruit Juice – Fruit juice consists of the flavour but lacks the fibre of whole fruits. So you get a lot of condensed sugar and acid. Such a combination is lethal for your oral health and it boosts the enamel of the teeth to a great extent. You can mix the plain yoghurt with fruit juice and make a smoothie for neutralising the acidity.
- Go for Salad Dressing with Crunch – With the vinegar component, salad dressing is an acid bomb that is bound to attack your teeth enamel. So add unsweetened cacao nibs to the salad. These foods that are crunchy assist the production of saliva and protect the tooth enamel.
- Eat Dessert with Milk – The desserts and the sugary sweets are the primary culprits in case of enamel erosion. You can counteract the acid attack that the sweets cause with milk. The calcium contained in the milk can limit the acidity content and promote the remineralization of tooth enamel.
- Go for Cheese with Wine – As the red wines are highly acidic you should pair up the wine with cheese that promotes remineralisation of the tooth enamel and limits the level of acidity.
- Opt for Drinking Soda with Sugar-free Gums – The soft drinks including the dietary drinks imply acid baths for your teeth. You should follow up the soft drink with sugar-free gums in order to stimulate the production of saliva. This helps to remineralise the tooth enamel.
Additional Steps to Prevent Tooth Erosion
Here are some additional essential steps for reducing the acid effects on the teeth.
- Wash with Water – Instead of snacking through the day, you should save the acidic foods for the mealtimes. This will decrease the contact with teeth and assist in neutralising the acid by eating it with other foods.
- Don’t Snack through the Day – Instead of snacking through the day, you should save the acidic foods for the mealtimes. This will decrease the contact with teeth and assist in neutralising the acid by eating with other foods.
- Don’t Brush Immediately – You should not brush immediately after drinking or eating highly acidic drinks and foods as that can cause damage. You should at least wait for half-an-hour and then start brushing. You can also rinse the mouth with tap water.
- Go for No or Minimum Sugar Containing Drinks – To keep down on your sugar consumption level, you should read the nutrition levels and consider the options like coconut water, tea and water.
The above are some of the most acidic foods that you should be aware of and a guide to control their damaging effects. In order to take care of your oral health, apart from going for the right and regular dental check-ups and dental treatment in Delhi you should also ensure that you eat right so that you can maintain your oral health in the best way possible.
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